We’re in the midst of the Second Annual Golden Poo Awards and your nominations are needed! Jump into the golden mix of hilarity! [Page One]

Kentucky’s got a new gubernatorial slate from the teabaggers: Phil Moffett & Mike Harmon. [Moffett-Harmon]

On Wednesday, the U.S. House approved Rep. John Yarmuth’s $534,000 funding request for the Kentucky Air National Guard’s emergency response unit. The funds will be used to build a new facility in Louisville that will house the Contingency Response Group. [Press Release]

Here is the dilly: you need to eat at these places in the East Market/NuLu District ASAP. [Click the Clicky]

The new arena opens in just a couple months. You ready for the influx of people downtown when you’re just trying to get home from work, among other things? We are! [WFPL]

Your school should take part in this year’s mock election. The Secretary of State could come visit you. [Civic Literacy]

Fairdale Bigfoot has a few good tips for dealing with the intense summer heat. [Consuming Louisville]

Karen Sypher’s ex-husband says she’s nuts. Will it float? [WAVE3]

Rick Pitino says Sypher is a great actress. Call us crazy, but, that’s crazy. Every teevee viewer on earth thinks she’s wonky, even if she’s innocent. If you don’t want to toss your cookies this early in the morning, do not read about the sexytime. [FOX 41]

Rand Paul’s got some serious baggage these days. Meanwhile, his supporters are spinning this one out of control. [Page One]

State employees were honored for giving back to those in need. See, kids, government employees do good things. [WHAS11]

Wanna know why the obesity rate is out of control in some areas of Eastern Kentucky? Look no further than the corruption of “leaders” and “officials.” It’s enough to make you sick. Even the good people are on the take in the mountains. [H-L]

Thanks to Joe Arnold for pointing out that A Kentucky Newspaper will essentially be controlling the upcoming mayoral debate at Bellarmine. [More From Joe]

Really, Daniel Mongiardo is a political whore. Like I mused on Page One, he was likely dropped on his head as a child. [Fat Lip]

What the heck went down at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park? Did everything just cold burn to the ground? Ugh. [WAVE3]

Who knew this would get more exciting than a little sexytime at Porcini? Jurors have called Rick Pitino a “pig” and Karen Sypher a “whore.” Possibly the most amazing legal story ever, in history, amen. [FOX 41]

What do The Wizard of Oz, Airplane and E.T. have in common? They’re all being shown for free at the Iroquois Amphitheater. [Consuming Louisville]

This is too important not to discuss: Sheldon Berman’s review has been pushed into July in an attempt to keep portions of said review secret. [WFPL]

Jury selection in the Rick Pitino – Karen Sypher sexytime extortion case begins today. [WAVE3]

You’ll want to check this site out for all of your fancy Forecastle Festival coverage. [Backseat Sandbar]

The festival was a giant success with 100+ performers and thousands of music lovers. [WHAS11]

Is Tilia open? Has anyone been? [Broken Sidewalk Flashback]

Six Flags Over Jesus is expanding into Oldham County. The church will soon spread further east and take over the world. [WLKY]

If you’re familiar with the Carriage Lady, you should probably help with her funeral. [FOX41]

Listen up, folks, you need to help me give away some books. Here’s why. [Page One]

Don’t mind if we do:

Can’t stop laughing. USA! USA!

Click here if you want his recipes.

I thought the best place to visit the wizard was at home. Or maybe at 21C if you had no other choice (and if you didn’t black out at the Mag Bar).

Thoughts?

Churchill Downs has – wait for it – released an iPhone app for the HullabaLOU festival. We’re biting our tongues re: this one. [This Link Loads iTunes]

Teabaggers in Southern Indiana just cold got into a fight when Joe Biden came to town. [Fox41]

Car-Free Happy Hour is today at Dragon King’s Daughter. 5:30 – 8:00 P.M. [Broken Sidewalk]

The Iron Quarter properties were officially declared landmarks last night. [WAVE3]

Why didn’t Joe Biden call anybody in Louisville a smartass? What a let down. [Wonkette]

Rand Paul attended the Christian Home Schoolers Conference on Friday. Surprisingly, the Democrats didn’t send a tracker or staffer to listen to what he said. But we sent a videographer who captured some quite interesting comments. [Page One]

Seen Anchorman? Then you know what’s attracting bears to the Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge State Park. Where is Doug Hawkins? He needs to protect us all. [H-L]

The anniversary of the double murder of Sylvia Habich and Rita Carrico leaves questions. Watch this and do your part – especially if you aren’t keen on local news outlets. [WHAS11]

WHY Louisville is celebrating it’s five year anniversary this weekend. [Click the Clicky]

A crazy, maybe incoherent rant on Jack Conway. The U.S. Senate race that may or may not ever get off the ground. [Page One]

The Landmarks Commission has changed its public hearing date regarding possible Local Landmark designation for Whiskey Row. The new meeting will take place on Monday, June 28 at 5:30 P.M. Old Jail Courtroom, 514 W. Liberty Street. [Press Release]

Hundreds of Louisvillians bid farewell to Metro Councilman George Unseld yesterday. [C-J]

Need something to do on Father’s Day? Check out Sea Rex: Journey To A Prehistoric World at the Louisville Science Center. [Consuming Louisville]

Churchill Downs announced some Fork, Cork & Style festival with out-of-state “celebrity” chefs no one’s heard of – aside from Emeril Lagasse – along with out-of-state restaurants. It’s in September and it’s expensive. [Press Release]

Oh, look, it really is about money for the Southern Baptists. And now they’re gonna focus on the yankee homos who haven’t started giving them 10%. [C-J]

The gays will be flooding downtown Louisville and the Waterfront quite soon. Time to lock up your children and/or leave town for a least a week. You are at risk of being recruited and redecorated. [LEO Weekly]

Funny how Bruce Schreiner didn’t bother mentioning how hypocritical it is of Jack Conway to demand Rand Paul release his Medicare billing history. Jack needs to release his personal financial disclosure now. [Associated Press]

The annual Taste of Frankfort Avenue will take place at the Clifton Center on Payne Street. Sunday, June 27. 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. $40. [Press Release]

LG&E and KU reached a settlement with the groups that objected to a massive rate increase. [WHAS11]

Does this mean Fairdale is finally going to get its new library? [FOX41]

The Shawnee Expressway (a portion of I-264) is being renamed in honor of Senator Georgie Davis Powers. [Press Release]

Metro Council’s budget hearings will continue today. 1:00 to 6:00 P.M. Animal Services, Fire, EMS, Corrections, EMA/Metro Safe. [Press Release]

Work on renovations beneath the Second Street bridge got underway yesterday. Long time coming! [FOX41, WFPL & WLKY]

Should the Metro Council tack on $25 to $50 in taxes for those who use alarm systems? In an economy that’s already falling apart? When no one has a job? When crime isn’t disappearing? What do you think? [C-J]

You definitely need to see The Glass menagerie at the Water Tower. [Consuming Louisville]

Massey Energy and Don Blankenship are on the war path, trashing the MSHA in letters to governors. What is it with folks who never take responsibility and always want to blame the government for everything? [H-L]

And the Paul Family have been brushing off the racist moniker for years. [More P1]

Geeks will be eating and drinking today, in case you were wondering. [Consuming Louisville]

Did you know? There are new U.S. fuel efficiency standards for trucks. [Swedish American Green Alliance]

How mean of Branden Klayko to move to Brooklyn. Somebody send him a soiled diaper and tell him how awful he is for not spending 100% of his time in Louisville. [Broken Sidewalk]

Fairdale really does deserve a new library. Who will complain about it? [Business First]

Rand Paul really is good at accusing his opponent, the media and the White House of lying about him and distorting what he’s said. Never mind that he’s the one who does that all for himself. [The Atlantic]

Will Kentucky Kingdom ever reopen? Will Louisville ever stop losing? Does a *insert anything* poop in the *insert location*? [WLKY]

Something tells me there’s no way Frankfort can really solve our problems. Like the budget. No one is holding their breath. [Tom Loftus]

John Yarmuth spoke to the bar belle and they recorded it, for the internet, for free. [FatLip]

Check this mess in the Boston Globe:

Blame the macaroni and cheese. It takes your expectations of a Louisville restaurant and tramples them as mercilessly as a horse’s hoofs on the dirt track of Churchill Downs.

-SNIP-

Social is on the ground floor of the Green Building, a brick warehouse built in 1850 that was gutted and turned into a LEED-certified mixed-use facility that also houses offices and a gallery. It’s owned by Gill Holland, a movie and record producer and activist, who has pioneered the transformation of East Market District into an artsy strip steeped in Boho vitality.

In keeping with other urban neighborhoods rechristened when they boost their cool quotient, the area is now referred to as NuLu (shorthand for New Louisville). Here, farm-to-table is the new “meat and three,’’ a Southern term for a heaping plate of protein and three veggies.

The high-ceilinged restaurant embodies NuLu’s ethos to the max, from its menu options to share (they don’t call it “Social’’ for nothing) to the eco-conscious design. The slabs of wood that serve as the bar top, tabletops, and barstools, even the coasters, are made from American oak reclaimed from a Lexington tobacco barn.

-SNIP-

On Lewellyn’s recommendation, I stroll down East Market street to the Mayan Café, where Bruce Ucan turns the overlooked, if not maligned, lima bean into morsels of smoked earthiness. For his signature tok-sel lima beans, he roasts them in metal barrels, then flash-cooks them with parsley and pumpkin seeds, and finishes them with scallions and lime juice.

-SNIP-

Arguably, Louisville’s culinary transformation started with Proof on Main, the bar in the 21C Museum Hotel that opened in 2006.

-SNIP-

We tucked into the bar, where a roster of whiskey cocktails are on offer. This is a fine place to sample Kentucky’s famous spirit. The bartender catches me pondering too long over the list and comes to the rescue. “Do you like sweet? Spicy? Smoky?’’ he says. “Yes,’’ I reply. He nods and puts together a flight of three bourbons.

-SNIP-

When it comes to bourbon tasting, nothing rivals Bourbons Bistro, another stop on the bourbon trail and just a quick cab ride away. It opened five years ago, but with its dark wood paneling and antique bar and mantel holding upward of 140 bourbons, it has the air of a neighborhood institution. Chef Michael Crouch whips up whiskey-kissed complements.

Really. Go read it all.

Doesn’t it feel great to be a Louisvillian when you read something like that?

P.S. The Cincinnati Enquirer also heaped praise on Louisville.